EgyptAir orders two Q400s for new venture; takes delivery of first A330-300

Bombardier Q400NG. Photo: Courtesy, Bombardier.

EgyptAir said its corporate jet aircraft charter subsidiary Smart Aviation Co. has formed a commercial airline unit that will be launched with two Q400 NextGen aircraft ordered Monday. Bombardier said the order's value is $62 million based on list prices but could rise to $158 million if EgyptAir exercises three Q400 options also placed Monday.

Smart Aviation Chairman and MD Wael El-Maadawy said, "Middle East tourism and business travel are growing steadily and we want to be in a position to meet this growth with efficient, reliable, economical and passenger-friendly aircraft." He gave no further details of Smart's future Q400 operations.

Separately, EgyptAir took delivery of the first of five Airbus A330-300s it has on order, which Chairman and CEO Hussein Massouddescribed as an "important milestone" for the carrier. It will operate it on daily Cairo-London Heathrow flights. The aircraft is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines and will be configured for two classes with 36 seats in business and 265 in economy. The business-class seats are almost fully flat and feature 15.4-in. IFE screens. Economy includes seat-back IFE screens and an electrical plug at every seat. The aircraft will also be equipped for Wi-Fi Internet access.

Massoud said MS will follow an "ambitious plan for fleet expansion and modernization" (ATW Daily News, July 22).